by Rev Sue Swires | Posted at 12:13pm on 13th July 2018

Dear Friends,
For those of you convinced that ‘the old ones are the best’:
A journalist was sent to Jerusalem to write an ‘on the spot’ newsworthy item. He found lodgings overlooking the Wailing Wall. He noticed an old Jew praying determinedly for hours each day.
Sensing a story, he went across to the wall, introduced himself, and asked the man what he was praying for so earnestly. The reply came:
‘In the morning I pray for world peace, then for community. Then I go home for tea and come back in the evening to pray that all sickness and trouble is eradicated from the whole earth’.
Even the hard-nosed journalist was impressed at this tremendous commitment, and asked ‘how long have you been coming to the wall to pray for these things?’
The old man replied ‘well, I’m not very good at remembering, but I would say about 60 or 65 years.’
The journalist asked ‘so, how does that feel?’
The reply came sure and fast - ‘As if I’m talking to a wall’.
With so many prayer concerns around us, from pastoral support to strength and confidence to joyfully follow where God leads us, we have times when we can relate to that sense of nothingness, even helplessness.
Always remember, as this summer flowers and blooms, that our faith is in the care of the Holy Spirit – directed and protected.
When we feel prayers go unanswered, keep praying!
Know how positively the community around us is responding to our care and prayer, and feel the Spirit working, in and through us.
May God bless our summer time and our blooming time…….
Rev Sue

For those living and working in Church Lane, be it within Alderley Edge County Primary School, private homes, or St. Philip and St. James, may they know that we hold each and every one in our prayers during this month.